1. The Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to a decoy flare for use as a countermeasure device against radiation-seeking missiles. More particularly, the present invention is related to a flare design capable of substantially increasing the peak intensity produced by the flare by achieving an unstable combustion condition.
2. Technical Background
Decoy flares are used defensively by combat aircraft to evade heat-seeking missiles directed at such aircraft by an enemy. At an appropriate time after the enemy launches a heat-seeking missile, the targeted aircraft releases a decoy flare. The decoy flare burns in a manner that simulates the engines of the targeted aircraft. Ideally, the missile locks onto and pursues the decoy, permitting the targeted aircraft to escape unharmed.
Early decoy techniques utilized bundles of chaff, i.e., strips of metal which would reflect radar energy to counter radar guided missiles. The chaff bundles were housed in square or rectangular shaped cartridges which were held in correspondingly shaped dispensers on the aircraft.
However, the advancement of missile technology has resulted in the development of missiles which examine a potential target's energy spectrum in order to distinguish decoys from targeted aircraft using infrared wavelength signatures. Typical of such missiles are missiles which target an infrared light source.
The burn requirements of the decoy flare must therefore be determined by reference to the known characteristics of the targeted aircraft's engine emissions as interpreted by the heat-seeking missile. It is necessary for the decoy to emit light in the infrared (IR) spectrum and for a duration that will induce the missile to lock onto the decoy instead of the escaping aircraft.
One problem which has been encountered in the development of suitable IR decoy flares is the difficulty of achieving sufficient intensity in the infrared signal being produced by the flare. Because IR seeking missiles are known to target high intensity IR emissions, the effectiveness of a decoy flare could be increased substantially if the intensity of the IR light produced by the flare is increased.
Merely increasing the amount of illuminant in the flare is an unsatisfactory solution because of the physical requirement that the decoy flare be capable of being carried in already existing chaff dispensers.
From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that it would be an advancement in the art to provide an IR flare which is capable of emitting IR light at a substantially greater intensity than previously known IR flares, while having a geometric configuration which permits it to be used with presently existing chaff dispensers.
Such a device is disclosed and claimed herein.